WO2010125093A1 - Method and device for optically transmitting data - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for optically transmitting data by means of a pulse-width-modulated light source (LED), wherein a pulse duty factor (N) of a pulse width modulation is specified to set the brightness of the light source (LED). A bright time (T) is divided into at least a first and second partial bright time using at least one blanking so that the data (DATA) to be transmitted are encoded by means of the start and time length of the at least one blanking. The sum of the partial bright times within the pulse width modulation cycle substantially corresponds to the bright time according to the specified pulse duty factor.

Description

description

Method and device for the optical transmission of data

The invention relates to a method and a device for the optical transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source.

The proliferation of mobile devices, such as mobile telephones, requires fast data transmission over wireless interfaces and wireless local area networks. In buildings, light emitting diodes (LED) can be used to illuminate rooms. Light-emitting diodes, also called light-emitting diodes, are characterized by low energy consumption and a long service life. For the illumination of rooms within buildings, light emitting diodes provided there are modulated with a pulse width modulation in order to be able to set the illuminance within a room in accordance with the respective requirements. Pulse width modulation for the purpose of brightness adjustment is also referred to in the art as "dimming".

For simultaneous brightness adjustment and data transmission via a light source, methods are already known. In a filed on 28.04.2009 with the file number 102009019203.4 at the German Patent and Trademark Office patent application has already been proposed to change a duty cycle of the pulse width modulation in individual pulse width modulation cycles so that are coded using such a cycle-dependent duty cycle to be transmitted data without the set Overall brightness undergoes a change. In order to maintain the set brightness, the value of an arithmetic mean formed over a plurality of cycle-dependent duty cycles should substantially correspond to the set duty cycle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for optically transmitting data via a dimmable light source, which provides a higher data transmission rate over the prior art.

This object is achieved by a method having the features specified in claim 1.

The invention provides a method for the optical transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source in which a duty cycle set for brightness adjustment of the pulse width modulated light source is predetermined as the ratio between a dark time of the light source and a period length of a pulse width modulation cycle.

According to the invention, a bright time within a pulse width modulation cycle with at least one blanking interval is divided into at least a first and second partial bright time, so that the data to be transmitted are coded over the beginning and / or time length of the at least one respective blanking period. The sum of the partial bright times within the pulse width modulation cycle essentially corresponds to the bright time according to the predetermined duty cycle.

The invention is based on the idea of leaving the set pulse duty factor, which corresponds to a brightness of the pulse-width-modulated light source adjusted via a dimming factor, unchanged in that, within the same pulse width modulation cycle, an average pulse duty factor corresponding to the set pulse duty factor results.

In other words, according to the invention, the bright time to be set by the brightness control, which is determined by the brightness control

Pulse width modulation over a depending on the brightness to be adjusted over a respective range of a pulse width modulation cycle would be constant, in individual time periods Furthermore, so modulated ("multilevel modulation") that a transmission of data by means of a coding on the pulse width modulated within a pulse width modulation cycle is enabled bright time, without the set by means of the pulse width modulation itself predetermined brightness over the pulse width modulation cycle and also an overall change experiences.

In this case, according to the invention, the inertia of the human eye is utilized, which can not perceive a short-term change in the pulse width modulation as perceptible brightness differences. Incidentally, this principle is already applied by the "first" pulse width modulation itself for brightness adjustment.

A particular advantage of the method according to the invention is that it is possible to increase the data transmission rate by a multiple compared with the methods known from the prior art.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the light source is designed as a light-emitting diode, which in particular offers the advantage of a short and precise turn-on time.

The invention is preferably used for a wireless exchange between the light source and a mobile terminal.

According to one embodiment of the invention, data transmission takes place in the form of symbols, wherein a symbol consists of one or more binary bits.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the value of a symbol is further coded by an arrangement of the dark keying within the signal course in a pulse width modulation cycle. This embodiment of the invention corresponds to a pulse position modulation in which, det the requirements of the invention, an arrangement of the partial bright times is changed.

In the simplest embodiment of this embodiment, the position of the bright time - i. Light source switched on - with the dark time - i. Light source switched off - be swapped to encode in this way another binary bit. Incidentally, the aforementioned pulse position modulation does not lead to a perceptible change in the set brightness.

The invention further provides an apparatus for optically transmitting data by means of a pulse width modulated light source.

In the following, preferred embodiments of the device according to the invention and of the method according to the invention for the optical transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source will be described with reference to the drawing to explain features essential to the invention.

Show it:

Figure IA is a schematic diagram of a pulse width modulated light source according to the prior art;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the device according to the invention for the optical transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source;

Figure 2A is a signal diagram for explaining the operation of a pulse width modulated light source according to the prior art;

FIG. 2B shows a signal diagram for explaining the mode of operation of the method according to the invention for optimizing see transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source; and;

FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of a relationship to the influence of determinants on the number of possible symbol lengths.

FIG. 1A shows a device known from the prior art, consisting of a light source LED, a pulse width modulator PWM, by means of which a pulse width modulated carrier signal is generated. The pulse width modulator PWM is supplied with a supply current ICC. The supply current ICC is, for example, a direct current of a selectable size. A brightness adjustment of the light source LED by means of an adjustment of a dimming factor N, for example, a manipulated variable of a corresponding - not shown - setting member affects the dimming factor and the manipulated variable is supplied to the pulse width modulator PWM. The dimming factor N corresponds to a duty cycle of the pulse width modulator PWM due to the set

Dimming factor generated current ILED, which has a pulse width modulation, which corresponds in its time course to a course of the optical power of the light source LED shown below.

The further description of the figures is made with further reference to the functional units of respective preceding figures. Identical reference symbols in different figures here represent identical functional units.

FIG. 2A shows a time profile of the optical power of the light source LED, wherein the time profile of the optical power is set as a result of the pulse width modulated current ILED, which is substantially identical in its course.

In Figure 2A, four pulse width modulation cycles C are shown, with a respective cycle C of a respective one Clearing time T and dark time D exists. In the drawing, the designation of the respective bright time T and dark time D is shown for reasons of clarity only for the first leftmost pulse width modulation cycle C. A respective cycle according to FIG. 2A begins in each case at a line shown dash-dotted perpendicular to the abscissa and ends correspondingly at the following line shown in dashed lines.

During the light-time T, the light source is driven and radiates an optical power having an optical power duty PO. During dark time D, the light source is turned off and emits a power that is substantially zero.

The pulse width modulation of the light source LED is used to adjust the optical power, wherein the inertia of the human eye is exploited in such a way that, due to the length of time of a cycle C, the bright times T and dark times D are perceived as continuous optical power.

Depending on the dimming factor N, which is denoted as η in the following mathematical notation and which is expressed as a quotient between the dark time D - in the following mathematical notation as T _d - within one

Cycle C and the cycle duration C - indicated in the following mathematical notation as T _c - gives,

η = ^ - (1)

the brightness of the light source LED is variable. The dimming factor η is identical to the duty cycle likewise defined as the quotient between the dark time D and the cycle duration C. With a dimming factor η = 1, the optically radiated power becomes 0, ie complete darkness, with a dimming factor η = 0 the perceived optical power corresponds to the optical power operating value PO, ie the maximum brightness provided.

The dimming factor η shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2A results in about 0.46.

The present invention is based on the object,

To provide measures to provide the pulse width modulated in accordance with the figure 2A light source LED in addition to the optical transmission of data.

The invention achieves this object by dividing the light-time T with at least one blanking pulse into at least one first and second partial bright-time, so that the data to be transmitted are coded via the beginning and / or temporal length of the at least one blanking pulse.

FIG. 2B shows a time sequence diagram of a pulse width modulation in application of the means according to the invention. As in FIG. 2A, in FIG. 2B the optical power of the light source LED is plotted on the ordinate over the time abscissa. A respective cycle according to FIG. 2B begins, analogously to the representation of FIG. 2A, in each case at a line shown by dashed lines perpendicular to the abscissa and ends correspondingly at the line shown in broken line thereafter.

First, in the illustration of FIG. 2B, reference is made to the first cycle C in the left-hand part of the time-flow diagram, in which the entire bright time T of the first cycle according to FIG. 2A is "split up" into three partial brightening times, so that the sum of the partial brightening times within the Pulse width modulation cycle C of the bright time T corresponds to FIG 2A. A beginning of a first or i-th light time t _b i, _x in the first or i-th pulse width modulation cycle C, hereinafter also the first cycle C, takes place at the extreme left end of the timing diagram according to FIG. 2B. The end of the first partial bright time ends at the time t _e i, i. The first partial bright time is separated by a immediately following blanking from a second partial bright time, which begins at a time t _b 2, i and at a time t _θ 2, i changes. The second partial bright time is followed by a second dark time, which ends with the beginning t _b 3, i of a third partial bright time. The said third partial bright time ends at the time t _θ 3, i.

In a second cycle C following the first cycle C, the entire bright time T of the second cycle according to FIG. 2A is again "split up" into three partial brightening times.

According to the invention, the sum of the partial bright times according to FIG. 2B also corresponds to the bright time T according to FIG. 2A in the second cycle C as well.

On the basis of a different symbol now to be transmitted in the symbol sequence to be transmitted for the data transmission, in the second cycle C the coding of the signal sequence, i. the time sequence of the individual blanking cycles changed in the second cycle C. In the second cycle C, it can be seen from FIG. 2B that a first blanking cycle in the second cycle (not designated) corresponds to the first blanking cycle in the first cycle according to its time start and its time length. However, a second blanking operation subsequent to a subsequent second blanking time begins earlier than the second blanking in the first cycle, but otherwise has a length identical to the second blanking in the first cycle.

In a third cycle C following the second cycle C, the entire bright time T of the third cycle C according to FIG. 2A is again "split up" into three partial bright times. According to the invention, the sum of the partial bright times according to FIG. 2B also corresponds to the bright time T according to FIG. 2A in the third cycle C as well.

On the basis of a different symbol now to be transmitted in the symbol sequence to be transmitted for data transmission, the coding of the signal sequence, i. the time sequence of the individual blanking cycles, in the third cycle C changed again. In the third cycle C, it can be seen from FIG. 2B that a first blanking cycle in the third cycle (not designated) differs from the first blanking cycle in the first cycle as well as the first blanking cycle in the second cycle according to their temporal beginning.

In a fourth cycle C following the third cycle C, the coding of the signal sequence has changed again on the basis of a different symbol now to be transmitted.

FIG. 2B shows an embodiment of the invention according to which a division of the light time T with two blanking periods is divided into three partial bright times.

For the sake of a simplified illustration, FIG. 2B only shows blanking operations whose time lengths each have the same values. However, in order to achieve a higher coding depth, it is also recommended according to an alternative embodiment of the invention to vary the time length of the respective blanking operations according to the selected coding depth and in application of the method according to the invention.

In summary, it can be stated that a large number of possible coding values results over the beginning as well as over the temporal length of a respective blanking. For a selected embodiment with two blanking operations according to FIG. 2B, a number of the possible symbols #s to be coded according to FIG

# s = (N - a - g - 1) (- - 1 -) (1 + g + a) (2 + g + a)

2 2 2 2

in which

#s the number of possible symbols, N the total time length of the block divided by blanking, ie, according to FIG. 2B, the dimensionless value of the time duration t _θ 3, i -t _b i ,! a is a minimum allowable length of the first partial bright time, g is a minimum allowable length of the second partial bright time

is.

For the size of the symbol length, a relationship shown in FIG. 3 can be derived between the variables B and B 'explained below. Simplicity, a value of 1 is assumed for the values of a and g. Furthermore, there are 2 ^B possible positions for the blanking in the bright time.

For a number of possible symbols #s, a binary coding according to #s = (2 ^{B '} - 1) is assumed.

The value of B 'represented on the ordinate of the relationship shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to a largest binary number which can be represented by a respective symbol. The on the

Abscissa plotted magnitude B is the next integer belonging to B '. For very large values of N, the linear approximation results

B '«2.0074B - 2.1576 Similar relationships can be derived for three or more darker shadings.

FIG. 1B shows an arrangement according to the invention for the transmission of data via a pulse width modulated light source. In addition to the functional components known from FIG. 1A, a data modulation module VLC according to the invention is provided, by means of which, in contrast to the arrangement according to FIG. 1A, signal information NI is supplied to the pulse width modulator PWM.

According to the invention, the signal information NI is calculated from the data DATA supplied to the data modulation module VLC and from the dimming factor N used for setting the brightness. The signal information NI are, for example, as digital data, which for example tγ known from Figure 2B values _{Λι ±} t _e i, i, etc. characterize.

The pulse width modulator PWM according to FIG. 1B synthesizes a current ILED from the signal information NI, which has a time profile according to FIG. 2B.

It goes without saying that an exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1B is to be understood merely as an example, and that in a practical implementation a plurality of light sources may be provided. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the calculation and synthesizing of the pulse width modulated curve according to the invention can be carried out, for example. done directly in a communication module.

In a practical realization of the invention, e.g. a commercially available light-emitting diode with a minimum achievable pulse length of 4 ns selected. For a typical pulse width modulation results in a repetition rate of up to 500 kHz.

The shortest pulse that can be generated with the above-mentioned commercial LED is about 4 ns long, so that 625 pulses into one Cycle, which corresponds to a B of 9. With only one blanking operation, it is thus possible to adjust according to a very small dimming factor

9 bit • 500 kHz = 4.5 Mbit / s

achieve a data transfer rate of 4.5 Mbit / s. According to the invention, this rate can be increased in a simple manner, namely by increasing the number of blanking strokes to a value of two to a data transmission rate of

17 bit • 500 kHz = 8.5 Mbit / s

increase .

In order to transmit data in the case of an undimmed illumination with maximum brightness, ie, 77 = 0, the procedure is as follows, according to a further embodiment of the invention. In this case, it is provided to maintain the intended number of dark shadings and correspondingly increase the emitted optical power, so that a contribution of the blanking operations to the reduction of the illuminance is compensated.

For example, if cycle C has a length of time that corresponds to a length of 625 blanking times, then the optical power duty PO is increased by a value corresponding to two blanking times. In the present example, the optical power operating value PO is increased by a value of 625/623, thus about 0.5%.

Since the mean emitted light output thus remains unchanged, information can also be transmitted with undimmed light.

An increase in the dimming factor is accompanied by a shortening of the available for the coding time T light. For shorter periods of readiness, it may from the point of view of the transmitted data tenrate be advantageous to reduce the number of blanking.

In order to take into account a setting of the illuminance and thus a change in the light time T, it is also proposed to send training sequences containing training symbols at regular intervals and at least once at the beginning of a data transmission.

Such training sequences can include, for example, training symbols with a minimum spacing of the blanking strokes. Furthermore, these training sequences can contain training symbols in which the outermost two blanking gestures have a maximum distance.

Thus, the intended number of blanking strokes and their largest used distance can be determined on the opposite side in a simple manner.

Furthermore, training sequences of the other side facilitate synchronization with the light source by means of a clock recovery from the optical signal.

The inventive method for optical transmission of data does not cause electromagnetic waves and can not be affected by electromagnetic waves. The method according to the invention can be used in particular if an LED illumination is already provided. In this case, the light-emitting diodes can be addressed, for example, by means of a powerline transmission method.

The transmission of the data takes place by means of an easily shieldable communication medium. For example, because the data is transmitted optically, it can be easily shielded from an environment with a wall or curtain. It can therefore be achieved a security against eavesdropping. The inventive method allows the secure optical transmission of data via a dimmable LED to LED portable terminals within a lighted room and is insensitive to radio signals. It is possible to use any light-emitting diode LED, for example light-emitting diodes, which generate a white light. Alternatively, light diodes with a smaller modulation bandwidth can be used as white LEDs.

Claims

claims 1. A method for the optical transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source (LED), - in which for brightness adjustment of the light source (LED) a duty cycle (N) of a pulse width modulation as the ratio between a dark time (D) of the light source (LED) and a period length (C) of a pulse width modulation cycle is predetermined, wherein a difference of period length (C) and dark time (D) of a bright time (T) corresponds to the light source (LED) within a pulse width modulation cycle, wherein the bright time (T) is divided into at least one first and second partial bright time with at least one blanking period, so that the at least one respective first and second partial time is determined over the start and / or time length Dullestung the data to be transmitted (DATA) are encoded, and, wherein the sum of the partial bright times within the pulse width modulation cycle substantially equal to the bright time according to the predetermined duty cycle. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source (LED) is a light emitting diode. 3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data is exchanged wirelessly with a mobile terminal. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data is transmitted in at least one symbol and wherein a symbol is defined by at least one binary bit. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a value of a symbol is at least partially encoded by an arrangement of the blanking within the Pulsbreitenmodula- tion cycle (C). 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein training symbols containing training sequences are provided at the beginning of a data transmission. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein a training symbol is configured by a minimum distance between at least two blanking strokes. 8. The method according to any one of claims 6 and 7, wherein a training symbol is designed by a maximum distance between the first and the last blanking. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein at a zero duty cycle, an optical power of the light source is increased by a factor of one of a time duration of the pulse width modulation cycle (C) and a duration of the blanking reduced duration value the pulse width modulation cycle (C) corresponds. 10. A device for the optical transmission of data by means of a pulse width modulated light source (LED) comprising: a data modulation module (VLC) for receiving data to be transmitted (DATA) and a duty cycle (N) to be set for pulse width modulation as the ratio between a dark time (D) the light source (LED) and a period length (C) of a pulse width modulation cycle, wherein a difference of period length (C) and dark time (D) corresponds to a bright time (T) of the light source (LED) within a Pulsbrei- tenmodulationszyklus, the data modulation module (VLC) on set up to define at least one blanking pulse, by means of which the cell time is divided into at least one first and second partial bright time, so that the data to be transmitted (DATA) are coded over the beginning and / or time length of the at least one respective blanking, so that the Sum of partial bright times within the pulse width modulation cycle essentially borrowed the bright time corresponding to the predetermined duty cycle. 11. The device according to claim 11 with means for carrying out the method according to one of claims 2 to 9.